Brian Kilmeade Makes Profound Philosophical Point

Bill Donahue is not an official spokesperson for the Catholic Church; but he is very conservative and hates Hollywood; so it’s not surprising that, as an uber Christian culture warrior, he is embraced by his fellow culture clubbers at Fox News. That Donahue’s views could be seen as anti-Semitic (“Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular”) doesn’t seem to bother Fox News who utilizes him as the go to person for Catholic issues. Bill’s claim that “Hollywood likes anal sex” would certainly qualify him for Fox Nation citizen of the year. As a true culture warrior, Bill does love a good crusade; and his newest one is about the movie Angels&Demons, which Bill sees (he hasn’t actually seen it, yet!) as anti-Catholic. This morning, on Fox&Friends, he preached to a very receptive choir.

Donahue was interviewed by Steve Doocy and Brain (whoops, Brian) Kilmeade about the movie based on a fictional book by Dan Brown who authored another book, The DaVinci Code, which was made into a movie and criticized by Bill Donahue. Doocy introduced the segment by stating that there is a “new film stirring up controversy. Tom Hanks says that there is nothing controversial about it; but Catholics disagree.” (Uh, other than Bill Donahue and his merry inquisitors and Fox News, who cares – but Fox is defining it as a controversy so it must be so!). Donahue (who so resembles “Archie Bunker” in looks, philosophy, and NY accent) launched into a screed about how there should be a disclaimer on the film like because it’s “playing fast and loose with the facts.” (Uh, it’s fiction, Bill) Bill said that mixing “fact with fiction is pernicious.’ (Hmm, somehow I don’t think Bill had a problem with the anti-Semticism of the “Passion of the Christ” which has been described as a homoerotic snuff film). Donahue argued that the Illuminati weren’t around at the time of Galileo and that the Catholic Church never massacred any illuminati. (Giordano Bruno was not Illuminati; but he was burned at the stake by the Catholic Church for his Copernican views). Father Donahue then went on to make the specious claim that without the Catholic Church, “the scientific revolution would not have taken place.” (While there were Catholic Church sponsored scientists, many of the advances took place in Protestant countries, especially England. Scientists in Catholic countries were not always connected to the church). In referencing Galileo, who lived under Vatican house arrest because he dared posit that the solar system was heliocentric, Brian Kilmeade weighed in with, possibly, the most profound statement ever heard on cable “news”: “Galileo would have died eventually.” WTF?!! I’m really at a loss to interpret this. Was he saying that the whole Galileo/Inquisition thing was fine? We all die eventually! Anyway...

Donahue proceeded to excoriate the film’s producer, Ron Howard whose comments about Donahue’s criticism were, according to Donahue, “silly and mean spirited.” In a moment of sheer lunacy, Donahue said (regarding Howard), “I’m very specific, he rants.” (Scuse me, ranting is Bill’s method of communication – and “specific?” Scuse me?) Donahue then made the claim, being circulated on conservative Catholic blogs, that a Canadian Catholic priest went incognito to the set of Angels&Demons where he observed “hatred of the Catholic Church” on the part of the film crew.(Actually, the priest claimed that a “major producer” of the film made an anti-Catholic statement. A request for comment from this priest, by a Philadelphia newspaper, was denied.)

Comment: Ron Howard’s statements to Donahue were respectful and responsible. As Howard said regarding the”controversy,” “If anyone feels the film is going to be offensive to them - don't see it.” What Donahue doesn’t realize is that the more he rails, the more publicity he gives to the movie and that might encourage more people to see it. (When I was a kid, we used to sneak into the movies “condemned” by the Catholic “Legion of Decency!). If this movie is anything like The DaVinci Code, it will sink on its own – not because of Donahue; but because (unlike the book) it was dark and boring.

Bill Donahue said “Howard must be delusional if he thinks Vatican officials are going to like his propaganda.” The Vatican says that the film is “more than two hours of harmless entertainment, which hardly affects the genius and mystery of Christianity.” All I can say is, “Galileo would have died eventually!!!"